The affordability gap in the housing market is expected to be narrowed by changes to government housing subsidies and the commencement of the R1 billion guarantee fund to promote access to home loans for lower-middle-income households.

The National Department of Transport wants to transfer control of Metrorail's Cape Town passenger service from the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to the metropolitan municipality, but the local chamber of commerce says it may turn into "a poisoned chalice".

Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela says the national government should not raise "unrealistic expectations" among the public with the announcement of a R1 billion fund to help people secure home loans.